Switch.



J. M. LORENZ.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1914.

1,116,902. I Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

UNITED STATES .PATEN T OFFICE.

. JACOB M. LORENZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

swrroa.

1 ,116,902. Specification of Latter-s Patent Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed March a, 1914. Serial no. 823,809. a

. I for rotating devices that require to be turned in one direction, only.

One of the objects of my invention 1s to rovide a, ratchet button, especially adapted or rotating a movable member of an electric snap switch and to inclose the ratchet mechanism within the body part of the button so that the mechanism may be self contained and may be attached to any switch as a whole as a substitute for buttons of the usual type.

Other and further objects of my invention.-

will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration of'the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a t pical snap switch showing my ratchet mec anism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a central sectional elevation of the switch. Fig. 3 is a section through the button, taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the button taken on line 44 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section of the ratchet device. Fig. 6 is a central section of the spring barrel. Figs. 7 and'8. are perspective views of parts of the ratchet mechanism. Fig. 9 is the key by which the device may be attached or taken from the stem of an ordinary snap switch, I

In all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

10 is the base of an ordinary snap switch.

11 is the rotating member of the switch and 12 is the inclosing case or cover. The

rotating member 11 is moved by a stem 13 that terminates as at 13', near the axis of the casing 11 having a screw threaded projection, which passes through an orifice in the casing for attachment to the ordinary button, for turning the switch member. In such well known structures, if the switch be turned in the opposite direction, the button will unscrew from the stem 13 and this is a be taken off turning it to the left will fre-.

quently remove the button and the casing purely to gratify a desire for malicious mischief. In my new improved switch button the switch member is turned always in one direction, for instance to the right, or clockwise in order that it may exercise its intended functionand when the button is turned .to the left it cannot be unscrewed and taken from the switch unless the key, made for this as willhereinafter be described.

The button comprises a shell 15 preferably of insulating material and fluted on its side as at 16., and open ended for admission 0 the screw barrel 17. The screw barrel 17 telescopically engages. the inner surface of the shell 15 and is fixed thereto, as .by suitable cement, frictional engagement or otherwise, so that the barrel and the shell turn together. A stem 18; having an enlarged head 19 that passes freely into the barrel 17 and through the axial perforation in the end wall of the barrel, is screw threaded at itsend for screw threaded association with the projecting screw threaded stem 13' of the stem 13. An openhelical spring .20 is contained 1n the spring barrel 17 and has its purpose, is inserted at the end of the button,

ends outturned, as at 21-21. The end wall I 17 of the barrel 17, is provided with a:-

plurality of radially extendin notches 22,

within which the end 21/0 the spring direction, and will make rotative engagement with the abrupt wall of the notch, to rotate the sprmg and stud when the barrel is turned in the op osi'te. direc tion. The inner surface of t'e head 19,

of the stud 18, is provided with similar" notches 23, of which there may be an suitable number, for engagement with t e' end 21 of thespring 20.

3 When the shell 15 is rotated, as for instance in a clockwise direction, it rotates the spring barrel 17 with it, the latter being vfreely rotatable upon the stud 18. The en 21' of the spring 20, will engage a notch of the wall 17"of the barrel 17,;and cause the spring 20 to be rotated, and the end 21':-

of the-spring will engage a 'notch 23 in the inside surface of thehead 19, of the 11 the rotating shell to the stud 18 to be ro- 18, and: cause the stud'td b'e rotated in the usual type. Thespring 20, of the ratchet button, is plit under tension or placed under stress, to some ,extent by the rotationof the shell, before power can be transmitted from tated, andtherefore the spring 20 contributes to .the quick snappy movement of the switchahember, by the resilient stress applied to the stgd 18 after it has been re-- leased, and causes it to make quick break with its coiiperating'contact member and to. fly, with a quick snappy action, to its open circuit position. This effect would be produced, through the instrumentality of the spring 20, even if the spring 24 of the switch be broken, or for any-other reason was deprived of its usual resiliency. Now, if the shell 15 be turned backward, the ends 21 and 21 would slip out of their respective notches over the inclined edges thereof and not engage, for rotating purposes, the members in which the notches are contained, and therefore the switch blade and stem 13 'would not be rotated and neither could the gratchet button be unscrewed from the stem 13' of the switch. The closed outer end wall 25, of the shell 15, is provided with apertures 26, through which projections 27, of the key 28 may extend. The head 19, of the stud 18, is provided with apertures 29, that register with the apertures 26, when the.

parts are in registering position, so that the projections 27, of the key 28, may be passed through the apertures 26-26 into the apertures 29-29 and thereby the stud 18 may be directly turned to the left, so as to disengage it from its screw threaded association with the projecting end 13 of the stem 13, and by this means the ratchet button maybe removed from the stem, so that the cover, or shell 12, of the switch, may be taken ofl' for inspection of the interior mechanism. There is some relative longitudinal movement permitted, by the spring-20, between the end 19, of the stud 18, and the end wall 17, of the spring drum 17, and this movement may be utilized to accommodate various heights of the cover 12.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Having described my invention, what I claimwith a view and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A ratchet device comprising a rotatable shell having ratchet teeth; a member to be rotated thereby, within said shell, having ratchet teeth, an open helical spring, contained within said shell, between said tooth portions, having its ends engaging abrupt surfaces of said respective ratchet teeth to rotate said. member and means insertible through an opening in said shell for en gagement with the stud.

A ratchet device comprising a rotatable shell; 2. spring drum within said shell, and rotatable therewith, an end wall of which shell contains ratchet teeth; a stud, having a screw threaded shank and a head, said head being provided with co-acting ratchet teeth and an open helical spring within said drum, surrounding said shank, and having its ends engaging said respective ratchet teeth. I

A ratchet device comprising a stud adapted for. connection with a rotatable part, a shell inclosing said stud and rotatable thereon, a one way clutch connection between said stud and shell, and means insertible through an opening in said shell for engagement with said stud.

l. A ratchet device comprising a stud adapted for connection with a rotatable part, a shell inclosing said stud and rotatable thereon, a one way ratchet connection between said stud and shell, and a detachable key insertible through an opening in said shell for engagement with perforations in said stud.

5. A ratchet device comprising a stud adapted for connection at one end with a'rotatable part, and having a head formed on its opposite end, a shell inclosing said head and rotatable on the stud, ,a ratchet connection between said head and one end wall of the shell, and a .key insertible through an opening in said shell for engagement with a recess in said head. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Wit nesses. I

JACOB M. LORENZ. In the presence of- Grno. T. MAY, J12,

MARY F. ALLEN.

f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

